Hand-Painted Signboards
A course by Il Letterista , Typographers and Painters

Dive into the world of hand-painted signage and learn how to create visually appealing signs that leave a lasting impression.
Immerse yourself in the art of typography, painting, and hand-crafted signage, blending tradition with contemporary creativity. Uncover the secrets of a craft that combines design skills and manual execution to create unique and character-rich pieces.
Through the exploration of lettering and painting techniques, as well as the use of gold leaf, each lesson will guide you through the process of bringing letters to life, from their conception on paper to their realization on traditional materials.
Embark on this creative journey that will not only deepen your typographic knowledge but also open doors to new artistic possibilities. You'll learn how to create works with identity and soul, merging precise craftsmanship with artistic expression.
What will you learn in this online course?
16 lessons & 17 downloads
- 100% positive reviews (7)
- 590 students
- 16 lessons (2h 4m)
- 17 additional resources (3 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: Italian, English
- Spanish · English · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch · Turkish · Romanian · Indonesian
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
What is this course's project?
The final project involves creating a sign in the Italian vernacular style, utilizing techniques such as reverse painting on glass and gold leaf application. This work will showcase your ability to blend typographic art with traditional craftsmanship, resulting in a distinctive piece with a strong personal character.
Who is this online course for?
This course is designed for designers, artists, and creatives who seek to expand their technical and conceptual repertoire in typography and sign-making.
It's perfect for those interested in artisanal design techniques and who want to explore traditional methods applied to modern projects, highlighting the importance of detail and personalization in art.
Requirements and materials
You'll need brushes of various sizes, glass paints, gold leaf, and a glass surface to practice your designs.
A basic knowledge of drawing and an interest in learning traditional manual techniques are also recommended.
Reviews

Il Letterista
A course by Il Letterista
Joe is a renowned typographer and sign painter with over ten years of experience in typography and graphic design. He is the founder of AlfaType, a type foundry dedicated to font design, and has worked with various international companies and brands.
Rocco is a distinguished designer and sign painter with a university degree in graphic design and over ten years of professional experience. He has collaborated with numerous Italian companies and various tech startups.
Through their joint venture, Il Letterista, founded in 2017, Joe and Rocco aim to preserve the artisanal techniques of typography and lettering, promoting a more human and artistic approach to visual communication.
Content
-
U1
Introduction
-
Presentation
-
Reference models
-
-
U2
Introduction to lettering and materials
-
Introduction to Sign Alphabets
-
Instruments
-
Hand Lettering Construction Techniques
-
Letter spacing
-
-
U3
The Basics of Brush Lettering
-
Starting the brush
-
The basic movements of the brush
-
-
U4
Prepare the sign
-
Sign design and dusting preparation
-
Effects and final design
-
Preparing the glass support
-
Painting, Outlining and Finishing
-
Background and shades
-
Gilding
-
-
U5
Finalization of the sign
-
Finish
-
Installation
-
-
FP
Final project
-
Hand painted signs
-
What to expect from a Domestika course
-
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
-
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
-
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
-
Certificates
PlusIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
-
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
-
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
-
Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
-
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
What are Domestika's online courses?
Domestika courses are online classes that allow you to learn new skills and create incredible projects. All our courses include the opportunity to share your work with other students and/or teachers, creating an active learning community. We offer different formats:
Original Courses: Complete classes that combine videos, texts, and educational materials to complete a specific project from start to finish.
Basics Courses: Specialized training where you master specific software tools step by step.
Specialization Courses: Learning paths with various expert teachers on the same topic, perfect for becoming a specialist by learning from different approaches.
Guided Courses: Practical experiences ideal for directly acquiring specific skills.
Intensive Courses (Deep Dives): New creative processes based on artificial intelligence tools in an accessible format for in-depth and dynamic understanding.
When do the courses start and when do they finish?
All courses are 100% online, so once they're published, courses start and finish whenever you want. You set the pace of the class. You can go back to review what interests you most and skip what you already know, ask questions, answer questions, share your projects, and more.
What do Domestika's courses include?
The courses are divided into different units. Each one includes lessons, informational text, tasks, and practice exercises to help you carry out your project step by step, with additional complementary resources and downloads. You'll also have access to an exclusive forum where you can interact with the teacher and with other students, as well as share your work and your course project, creating a community around the course.
Have you been given a course?
You can redeem the course you received by accessing the redeeming page and entering your gift code.
Very good course and teachers, I enjoyed a lot! Domestikas fault regarding the audio in English of poor quality since it seemed in fast mode and the translation in English using words that was not what the teachers meant.
Thanks for the course content; it was good and useful, but I have one complaint: the audio quality was horrible in the editing, which takes away points.
Muy lindo curso
Es excelente! Sumamente satisfecho
Me encantó este curso es muy fácil
Y detallado todo el proceso, súper interesante.